


Hatching a Scaly Project

by Serriya (Keolah)



Series: For Order and Justice [7]
Category: Rifts
Genre: Dimension Travel, Gen, Genetic Engineering, Humanoid Animals, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-27
Updated: 2006-06-27
Packaged: 2017-12-09 07:32:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/771650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keolah/pseuds/Serriya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A wolfen looks into rumors of lab-grown slavery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hatching a Scaly Project

Sharra headed back for her ship, mind already turning back to the next step in their list. There was still work to be done.

"Hmm, though the perfect being project has a certain strong appeal," she mused, "It probably has less of a broad-scale impact than the clone slaving."

Jenna nodded and said, "That may well be the same group that was working with the Jordan line..."

Sharra expressed her disgust through her expression and nodded. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking, and while it's something I have a personal reason to be interested in there's likely more actively damaging on the other project."

Didn't mean she wouldn't take a swipe at anything that was involved if she happened across it, but a formal investigation would have to wait a little while yet.

"Yeah, let's see where that is... the Cairo system?" Jenna said. "Hmm, the clones were adapted for heat and are working at farming and construction on the desert planet..."

Sharra made her way back to the ship. "Well, we can check and see if there's a broad range of free will abuse going on there or not. It's possible that the clones might be doing it willingly, if that's what they were specifically created for and fulfills their need of a purpose. Have to see."

She headed back to the ship and climbed in.

Zillah said, "Dr. Henderson was unsuccessfully attempting to replicate slime, but only got mushy peas."

Sharra made a face, "Oh for the love of..." then snorted and dropped into a seat, "I am quite glad to be rid of him, the whole idea was enough to make my skin crawl, and that's saying a lot for me!"

"Where are we heading next?" Zillah asked, settling into the pilot's seat and taking off.

"Cairo system," Sharra replied. "Going to check into some more Cybion activity out there."

Zillah nodded, and set out for Cairo.

Jenna said, "Eesh, looking over conditions on Cairo... Zillah, can you handle temperatures averaging 50 degrees Celsius in the day?"

Zillah thought for a moment and said, "I think so, maybe."

Sharra looked over at her. "Don't push it, if you think you're having any problems then you get right back to the ship. Last thing you need is a heat stroke or some other reaction due to your altered body chemistry."

Zillah said, "Alright, alright..." She got them out of Imperial space and set the wormhole, and replicated some iced tea and a submarine sandwich.

Sharra chuckled softly, making a note to keep a close eye on the girl. She _was_ still young and, as Jenna had said, was eager and always wanting to be involved. Endearing traits, but potentially hazardous ones as well when placed in different settings. Speaking of taking care of oneself, though, she headed back to add another cylinder of raw materials for the nanites to work with on the way.

Zillah munched thoughtfully and said, "Why do the Cybions do so many bizarre and disgusting things?"

Returning to settle a little more comfortably than she had, Sharra considered the question before replying. "There's been any number of reasons that people throughout history have done research, most of the time the scientists themselves are working from a desire to learn something that they've wondered about for a long time. The question becomes more complex when you factor in the truly bizarre and the profitable."

"I can see why they'd make heat-resistant clones to work in a desert climate... but some of their projects are just ... why the slime? What could he possibly gain from that?"

"That's where the truly bizarre comes into play." Sharra chuckled and shook her head. "Some of them are just so wrapped up in the _possibility_ that they don't think ahead as to what might happen or be done with it. I really don't blame Dr. Klaus or Henderson for their research. They got caught up in ideas that they saw as having so much _potential_ without realizing that potential can turn and bite you if you're not careful. It's irresponsible but that's why there are laws to control what people can do, and those laws change even as what's known expands so they can keep the horrors at bay."

Zillah finished up with her food and looked at the console. "ETA of four hours and ten minutes." She stretched comfortably and went into her routine of music and reading.

Sharra tilted her head. "Been keeping up with your physical training?" Things had been so hectic of late that she hadn't been keeping quite as close a track as she had intended.

"Uh-huh," Zillah said, reading a text on sociology absently.

Sharra smiled and nodded. "Good."

She settled in for the trip, checking through the cybernet for information of potential interest and occasionally snorting in amusement at various entries ranging from emo to pornographic.

Some hours later, they arrived in the Cairo system, and Zillah brought them down in toward the planet for a landing. It didn't look to be the most friendly planet for humanesque life, being barely within what one might call the habitable range, but there were a fair couple thousand people on the planet nonetheless, the majority of them apparently the worker clones.

Sharra did a scan of the area, noting the climatological information with interest.

"Not exactly a hellworld," she said, "But not particularly pleasant either."

She'd visited worlds that made this one look like a paradise by comparison, but they certainly wouldn't be anything she'd be taking Zillah along to see. Zillah landed them on the landing platform near the largest cluster of buildings. Several other ships were present, primarily freighters and a couple of scout ships, only one Ultranova providing any sort of real defense.

The clones in question appeared to be a sort of scaled humanoid, and from first glance didn't appear to be too unhappy at any rate. Appearances could be deceiving, but Sharra kept an open mind as she headed out of the ship and went to take a look around. General observation of the clones' living and working conditions would give a decent gauge to the overall situation, as would talking to a few of them.

Zillah wavered a bit as she stepped out into the sweltering head.

Jenna nodded over to a nearby building and said, "That looks like an administration building." She headed over that way.

"You going to be okay?" Sharra asked Zillah quietly and performs a careful scan on the girl's condition, letting Jenna roam ahead for the moment.

Zillah nodded a bit stubbornly. She didn't look like she could manage prolonged exposure, but presuming the admin building was atmosphere controlled (which it appeared to be) she should be able to go from the ship to there and back just fine without too many problems.

Sharra looked at her narrowly, then nodded once. "Alright then, let's get over there and take a look then."

She headed off in the direction of the admin building, letting Zillah set the pace. They came into the large building, passing through double reinforced transparent doors that kept out the heat, into the artificially cooled administration building. Jenna was waiting for them in the lobby.

It was a nice place, even with a small indoor fountain with a few brightly colored little fish swimming about inside. The floors were patterned to look like wood. By the side of the door they saw several environmental suits that the non-modified beings on the planet probably used to go about outdoors.

"Homey," Sharra remarked, looking around the place, but then she'd expect an oasis of normalcy to soothe the restrictions inflicted by the environment. Human beings as a species tended to get quite restless if confined to small spaces for too long, and little things like the decor helped ease that.

She headed further in, looking for signs of life or a terminal to access and take a look at their records. There was a handy row of terminals along one wall, doors leading off to quarters, the mess hall, and work areas, and a couple of humans sitting around in comfy chairs near the windows reading quietly.

Sharra approached one of the people at random and quietly intruded. "Pardon me, but where could I go or who should I talk to in order to get some information on the operation here?"

The man glanced up briefly from his datapad and said, "Head down the hall for Erin Wilson's office. She's the administrator here."

Sharra smiled politely and nodded. "Thank you," then headed off to follow his directions.

There were several offices along the hall, each clearly labeled with names and titles as "Chief Geneticist", "Agricultural Engineering" and "Head Administrator", that last being the Ms. Wilson he mentioned.

Chief Geneticist... Sharra made note to drop in and take a look around there before they went, just to see what sort of individual might be involved. She stopped at the door of Wilson's office and knocked lightly, then opened the door a little to poke her head inside. "Hello?"

A graying woman with spectacles looked up as she came in. "Hello, what can I do for you?"

Sharra stepped fully into the office and nodded in greeting. "I'm on a bit of a fact-finding tour, hopping from system to system for my employer, and I was wondering if you might be willing to give me a bit of information on the operations here."

"Certainly," she said, and was happy to go into a lengthy rundown of operations here, without actually saying much of anything that Sharra didn't already know anyway.

Sharra listened attentively, looking more for a general feel from the administrator than the nuts and bolts information that she'd be able to find elsewhere. Administrators were hired for their ability to delegate, generally speaking, not involve themselves in the day-to-day minute details.

"Is there an intention to terraform this world," she asked. "Or are the clones going to be a full-time measure?"

"We figure that once there's a more solid base of plant life, we'll be able to drop the temperature down to more manageable levels for humans. In a couple hundred years, Cairo may be a tropical paradise, a prime vacation spot."

Sharra nodded thoughtfully. Terraforming tended to be a very long-term project, with the exception of a single race that the Three Galaxies was aware of and kept their methods to themselves.

"And I assume the clone line will be sent off to other similar worlds to continue in similar climates?" Sharra asked.

"This particular strain is adapted for desert life. As the planet becomes more lush and tropical we'll tweak them a bit for jungle climates."

"Hmm, that makes sense," Sharra nodded. "All part of their contract, I assume. Any troubles on that end?"

"Oh, of course not," she said.

"Of course." Sharra smiled politely. "That answers a lot of the basic questions I had, mind if I take a look around to get a better feel for th general operation? I'll remain as unobtrusive as possible, naturally."

"Sure, go right ahead," she said, happy to get back to her actual work again.

Sharra nodded polite thanks, then headed back out of the office. First impressions were good enough so far, but then Dr. Henderson hadn't been the first thing she'd encountered in Nuremberg either. That thought was enough to turn her attention back toward the Chief Geneticist, and she headed for that office next.

The geneticist was a woman by the name of Cassandra Newton, who was currently going over a bit of reptilian DNA on a terminal. It appeared that both of her eyes were replaced with cybernetic implants, and they flashed unnaturally at them as they entered.

"Good day," Sharra offered politely in greeting. "Mind if I ask a few questions about your work here? I'll try not to take up too much time, I know how valuable that can be."

"You may ask what you will, but be aware that the answers may not be precisely what you seek."

Sharra's brow rose marginally at the cryptic statement. "Indeed? Well, then why don't we start with a general look at the clones you've got working here? I'm interested in what modifications may have been made, from the purely physiological to more subtle alterations of brain chemistry for specialized tasks."

"Although human in shape, they possess the scales and cold-blooded chemistry of reptiles, and are well-suited to existence within the climate which is the desert outside."

"That makes sense and checks with first appearances," Sharra nodded. "Was the basic genetic material human or a reptile species? And what level of sentience are we looking at with them?"

"Although a large portion of their genome is reptilian, their base form is human," Cassandra answered. "They have around the intelligence level of human children."

"I see," Sharra replied thoughtfully. "And this level makes them practical for purposes of control as well as able to perform the duties they're assigned?"

"Naturally. This particularly strain is also sterile, since we will be altering the genetic makeup to adapt it to the changing climate conditions on the planet and do not want a breeding population until the final state of them is attained."

"What changes are intended before attaining this 'final state'?" Sharra asked, inwardly uncomfortable with the idea already on a number of levels.

"They will be adjusted to be have a higher potential intelligence level and fertile, as well as further along the reptilian line, with tails and tapered faces. They will be oviparous and omnivorous. We call the species we are working toward 'sliths'. They will be adjusted to be less specialized for the desert and more readily adaptable to any climate between twenty and fifty degrees celcius."

"Sounds like a remarkable evolution," Sharra admitted. "Though I have to wonder what their intended status will be when all is said and done. Msr. Wilson stated that the planetary climate would eventually be adjusted to human-preferred norms, will these slith continue as a client species?"

"Oh, certainly. Adapting human and reptilian physiology was a more difficult task than mammalian ones, many of which only required cosmetic differences primarily."

So they were looking at a species that the Cybions were creating and intending to bring to a fully sentient state, capable of sustaining itself and adapt on many different levels.

"So what will happen to them once they're done?" Sharra asked.

"How do you mean?"

"When you've adapted them fully," Sharra replied. "And their intelligence is brought to a higher level, to a point where they're going to recognize their situation and be capable of sustaining themselves as a species, what then?"

"Then they can do whatever they like, like anyone else." She seemed genuinely puzzled. "What else would they do?"

Sharra smirked. "After seeing some of your fellow researchers in other areas, you might be surprised what might be expected. So, if they're being used as laborers at this point in a semi-hostile environment, what's the short and long-term outlook for them? I'll be honest and say that I have some concerns as to this operation's intentions regarding them, ones that are common enough when it comes to cloned labor and potential slavery."

"They are working with construction and agriculture, as well as introducing wild flora that will assist in the environmental alterations to the planet. Although we do not pay them, we supply them with whatever living accommodations, dietary requirements, and entertainment that they want, as well as ensuring that they remain healthy and safe. Their life expectancy is around one hundred and twenty years."

Payment wouldn't really do much for a species with the intellect level of a small child anyway, Sharra mused, they'd probably get more out of the entertainment that was provided. She paced a bit, thinking it through, and while the concept of creating the species might seem a bit odd it was looking to at least be a situation proceeding in a largely humane fashion without any long-term intent to subjugate the species.

She nodded slowly and came to a halt. "Okay, that answers most of my questions at this point. Is there anything else you can tell me that might shed some light on them?"

Cassandra shrugged faintly and said, "Not of I, but you are welcome to take a look around the facilities for yourself if you like."

"Thank you very much for your time, Dr. Newton," Sharra replied. "I'll certainly do so."

She left the office and went to take a further look around. Overall it looked to be a legitimate use of genetic engineering for the purpose, without any obvious violation of general principles which were often applied to the subject.

Jenna and Zillah followed her out. "So they're making a species of reptiles... Interesting," Jenna said.

"That can make a very hardy species," Sharra replied. "There's a few of them that I've seen, but only one wasn't so xenophobic that they'd talk to you before turning on the stove. Looks fairly benign so far, though."

"Shall we go take a look around the place, see what the conditions are really like out there?" Jenna said, then glanced to Zillah. "You might want to hang around in here or wait in the ship. Sorry, sis. I don't think they have any environment suits in your size anyway."

Sharra nodded in agreement. "Why don't you head back to the ship and catch up on some reading? Or if you're feeling adventurous you can do a little research for me on the cybernet regarding the Cybions, see if there's anything else we should look at."

Zillah said reluctantly, "Okay, okay." She went and made the short trip in the heat back to the ship when they got outside.

Jenna turned toward the path down to where the slith quarters were located.

Sharra grinned slightly as she watched Zillah head back to the ship, only looking up toward the sun when the hatch closes behind the girl. She stood there for a minute, letting the heat soak in and tasting the world with her senses, then trotted to catch up with Jenna.

"It's not so bad here," she remarked casually, then chuckled, "the nanites are happy for the extra bit of energy to convert."

Jenna chuckled softly. "I suppose there's something to be said about not having much biological matter to worry about baking."

Along the paths around the buildings, they saw the scaly humanoids moving around foodstuffs, construction materials, and supplies with antigrav lifters.

"Indeed," Sharra agreed, examining the setting thoughtfully, then frowned at a thought. "Jenna, when was the last time you saw a young child that was able to operate something like an antigrav lifter?"

Jenna shrugged. "Well, not that they're that hard to use. I've seen kids that could do a good deal more than that."

"Hmm, maybe," Sharra replied. "May as well take a look at living conditions first and then go have a chat with a few of them."

Jenna headed down to their quarters. There was a long line of dormitories some of them were coming in and out of, not environment controlled like the admin building. They looked simple enough, with doors, windows, some desert flowers growing in front of them.

Sharra wouldn't have expected them to be climate controlled, though did wonder about the seasonal changes. She kept an eye out as they go along for any signs of a controller or director who might be in charge of the clones' routine.

Down at the end of the row she saw one building set aside from the rest, larger than the small dorms and fancier. There was a sign nearby that said "Foreman Davis." That looked like a good place to get an idea of the work routine around here and Sharra headed off in that direction, looking around as she went.

Inside she found a large male cyborg working on repairing a broken antigrav lifter. He glanced up at them as they entered and said, "Eh, visitors. Something I can do for you?"

"Just looking around and trying to get a feel for the place," Sharra replied. "Interesting setup from what I've seen so far, and Msrs. Wilson and Newton have provided some intriguing details. Right now I'm curious about the sliths and their routines, how they're handled, some things like that."

"Well, they work during the day," he said. "Moving stuff. Planting stuff. Harvesting crops. Building stuff. Gets cold at night so they have to go dormant and sleep until it gets warm again in the morning."

"Yes, Dr. Newton said they were cold-blooded," Sharra replied. "What happens to them when the weather starts cooling overall? Or are the winter seasons mild on this world?"

"There aren't any real seasons on this planet," he replied. "I'm sure a scientist could explain to you why. Something about how the planet is tilted or its orbit or something."

"I've run across worlds like that, though they don't tend to be overly popular with humanity or related species," Sharra replied, "Seems like it'd be ideal for the slith, though. Do they enjoy it, or are they too simple to do so beyond instinct-level reactions?"

"They move stuff. They build stuff. They do stuff. They like the heat, it makes them energetic."

"Pretty easy to get them going in the directions you want them to, then, I take it," Sharra chuckled lightly.

"Yep," he said. "They're pretty easy to deal with."

"Ever have any problems with them?" Sharra asked, head cocking to one side. "I was told their intellect was similar to a child's. Does that include a tendency toward occasional disobedience?"

"Oh, once in a while you get some that feel like lazing around in the sun instead of doing anything productive, but generally they get bored of that soon enough anyway."

Sharra smiled a little at that. "I suppose they would, at that. It's not easy to keep a young one still for long. So what sorts of things do you have them doing? You've mentioned building, planting, etcetera, but what's the plan behind the actions? Do they provide the necessary resources for the station, or is the activity toward another purpose?"

"Oh, the food could be replicated, sure, but we've gotta get plants going to help cool down the planet or something," he said. "And they work on building homes, warehouses, buildings to be used for labs, and such."

"Hmm, they enjoy the work, it benefits them and the operation, sounds like a fairly equitable arrangement to me," Sharra said.

He poked the antigrav lifter with a tool and finished up with the repairs. "Now, if they'd stop breaking these things, I'd be happy." He chuckled. The controls on the thing didn't appear to be very complicated, with simple, clearly labeled buttons.

"A little rough on them, are they?" Sharra chuckled. "That's to be expected, and will probably get a bit better in a century or so as they're evolved. Considering their projected lifespan, I'd assume they're fairly hardy and healthy. Are their reflexes adequate to avoid accidents for the most part?"

"Yeah, they're quick buggers during the day. They get pretty sluggish at night but then they don't work at night."

Sharra snorted lightly in amusement, though the source wasn't immediately apparent. "Well thank you for your time. I think I'll go out and say hello to a few of them, then be on my way."

"Sure thing." He headed for the door with the antigrav lifter to put it back.

Sharra wandered back out, glancing over at Jenna with a quirked grin. "I think information from the cybernet will need to be taken with a grain of salt, if not an entire mine."

Jenna said, "Naturally. It's a wonderful pit of propaganda, politics, and pornography."

Sharra chuckled and went to find one of the slith that wasn't immediately in the middle of one task or another, curiously examining the actions of others as they worked.

Back behind the dormitories, she found a group of them on break, playing with a little robotic toy that buzzed around along the ground and made little noises and blinks.

Sharra stopped near the group to observe them for a minute, watching their actions and reactions for clues to their general attitudes and state of well-being. She couldn't help but smile a little, though, their choice in entertainment definitely looking to fit in with the development level she'd been told to expect.

They seemed to be cheerful and playful, chasing the little toy around and giggling. A couple of them looked up curiously when they saw the strangers approach.

Sharra drew a little nearer and settles into a crouch, watching them a moment more before looking to one of the curious ones. "Hello there." They were clearly in good spirits, and that pretty much laid to rest the last of her misgivings about the thing.

"Hi!" one of them said, three of them scurrying up toward her and looking over her. They'd clearly never seen anything quite like her before.

Sharra smiled at them. "My name's Sharra, what's yours?" She didn't make any sudden moves, not wanting to startle them, but examined them as closely as they study her.

Apparently, these three sliths were named "Nerris", "Siler", and "Hash".

Sharra nodded as each answered. "How are you today? Having fun with your toy and the other things you've been doing?"

"Uh-huh!" "Yep," they replied. "I planted some flowers. Flowers are pretty."

Sharra smiled again. "That's good," then slowly straightened, "Go on back to your play then, it was nice to meet you."

"Okay!" They darted back over to chasing the toy around, giggling. They were very quick, lively, and energetic.

Shaking her head in amusement, Sharra left them to their games and returned to Jenna. "I think the concerns for this place were overstated. Maybe another century or two when they're changing the climate and the slith are more evolved, but now... they look to be quite happy children."

"That's the cybernet for you. Some fair hints, but you're never quite sure what's really going on until you see for yourself."

"That's what the Empress pays us the big bucks for, though." Sharra chuckled and heads casually back toward the ship. "Better to take a look and find nothing out of order, than to ignore somewhere like Nuremberg and find some slime monster slithering out to devour the Empire."

"Indeed," Jenna agreed, meandering back over toward the ship again, taking a glance over the desert flowers growing along the path. "It's not such a bad place, really."

"Not really, and I'm sure that more people will agree when it starts changing," Sharra replied, then chuckled. "Like Zillah. Better get back before she goes stir crazy."


End file.
